Jonathan b



' J. B. GERMAN.

Car Coupling? Patented Mar. 26, 1867.

NFETERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D 2v JONATHAN B. GERMAN, OFWALNUT HlLLS, OHlO.

Letters Patent 1V0. ti -3,2 9, CZLltCLZ Zlfarclz '16, 1567.

IMPROVED UAR-COUPLING.

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TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN B. GERMAN, of Walnut Hills, Hamiltoncounty, Ohio, have iuveuted'a new and useful Oar-Coupling; and I herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description thereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to that class of mechanism by which railway carsare connected together, and con sists in a device by which the couplingor connecting is rendered entirely automatic, and the uncoupling ordisconnecting, under certain circumstances, automatic also, so thatwhile a train of cars is moving properly along the track, the couplingmechanism remains, as usual, intact, yet subject to instant release bythe proper oflicials; but should a portion of the train be thrown byaccident sufficicntly off the rails to endanger the safety of the train,the instant that a car to which my invention is attached becomesdiverted beyond a certain angle from the true line of the truck, theautomatic mechanism operates, and the divergent car becomes detachedfrom the train, thus preventing the remainder from being dragged overthe side of an embankment or bridge by the weight of the engine, tender,or car first deflected. The automatic coupling is further calculated todo away with a class of accidents resulting from brakemen beingfrequently jammed between the bin'l'crs of cars while endeavor. ing toinsert the coupling-pin.

Figure 1 is a horizontal section of a coupling embodying my invention,in its normal condition.

Figure 2 is asimilarsection through the couplings of two'cars, deflectedat such an angle as to show the manner of automatic release in case ofaccident.

A is the body of the coupling draw-head, of cast iron or other suitablematerial, having the usual chee a a for the insertion of theconnecting-link B, which, instead of having the usual shape of anelongated ring, is a bar having a hook at each end, 6 6, turned inopposite directions, and a shoulder, a c, on each side a short distancefrom the centre of the bar. In coupling cars, the bar entering thejawsot' the coupling-head presses aside a curved spring, D, until it hasentered a sufiicicnt distance for the hook I) to engage around thecouplingpin E, where the spring tends to holdit in position as long asthe cars remain in the same line, or nearly so, but should they bedeflected to an abrupt angle, as in fig. 2, the shoulder c pressingagainst the check a, the bar B at once acting as a lever throws back thespring D and detaches the cars, the bar becoming released at one end orthe otheras they turn to the right or left. A lever, F, pivoted atf,inside the draw-head, affords the means of voluntarily detaching thecars by pressing the hook Z) oi't' of the coupling-pin, throwing backthe sprlng D and releasing the bar 13. This lever may be operated by theconductor or other proper official by a cord, or any other simplemechanical device. A spring, G, causes the automatic retraction of thelever F. The coupling-pin E may be capable of withdrawal or insertion inthe customary way.

I claim herein as new, and of my in\'cntion I 1. The self-releasingcar-coupling, composed of the draw-head A, reverscly hooked bar 13,formed with shoulders c c, the spring D, and coupling-pin E, combinedand adapted to operate in the manner set forth.

2. The combination of the lever F, hooked bar B, spring I), andcoupling-pin E, constructed and arranged to operate substantially as setforth.

3. The connecting-bar B, having reversely-dirccted hooks b b, andshoulders c c, and capable of instant releasement when indirect lineeither by withdrawal of the coupling-pin E or by advance of the lever F,or, when out of direct line, by the automatic action of the parts, inthe manner set forth.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

J. B. GERMAN,

Witn csses:

Gno. H. Kmonr, JAMEs H. LAYMAN.

